Title: All of these things
Chapter 9: The things we realise
Parings: LM/HG, RW/HG (implied)
Rating: M
Disclaimer: All rights to their rightful owners. I am not making any money writing this.
Summary: It's been two years since the war finished. And Ron and Hermione are still together happy as can be. Just as they should be. Just as everyone said they would be. It was expected. They are happy together. They really are. Aren't they? Hermione find herself wondering if after all they've been through, after two years together if this is all there really is to 'Love'. Isn't that what she truly feels about Ron? But then, from the person she least expected to see again, a seed of doubt is planted. She loves Ron, but she is not in love with him. How will she react when that seed begins to grow, into a forbidden love of such magnitude she had never imagined it possible?
I've seen the world Will you still love me
Done it all
Had my cake now
Diamonds, brilliant
And Bel Air now
Hot summer nights, mid July
When you and I were forever wild
The crazy days, city lights
The way you'd play with me like a child
When I'm no longer young and beautiful?
Will you still love me
When I got nothing but my aching soul?
I hope you will, I hope you will
I hope that you will
Young and Beautiful – Lana Del Ray
Hermione opened her eyes slowly taking in the brightness of the morning light. She closed her eyes against the abrasive brilliance. She felt a delicious, familiar, ache between her thighs and sighed contentedly. The events of the past evening were clear in her mind despite having just woken up. She snuggled closer to Lucius, whom she felt tighten his hold around her. Her head lay on his chest and she listened to his breathing.
She felt very warm and safe in the arms of her lover. The blanket kept out the majority of the autumnal cold.
"Are you awake?" A deep voice murmured into her hair.
"Mmm." She sighed still sleepy and reluctant to wake from such a pleasant evening and let day light and reality remind her of all the adversity they would be faced with.
"Was that a yes?" Lucius teased her.
She groaned not wanting to get up just yet and he chuckled. She felt his chest rumble with the sound of it.
Hermione smiled with her eyes still closed.
"I'll take that most unladylike sound as a yes."
Hermione huffed and nodded into his chest. His hand came up to pet her hair.
"Are you still sore?" He asked gently. Hermione lifted her head from his chest and looked up into clear grey eyes and murmured, "I am, a bit." He smiled indulgently at her.
"Good morning." He kissed her forehead. She smiled and felt a sudden burst of energy and happiness engulf her. She felt wanted and cherished and reveled in the rush of pleasant emotions that gave her.
She sat up quickly and said, "Good morning. What time is it?"
"Half past six in the morning." Lucius answered, after muttering a quick time check spell.
"Are you hungry?" Hermione asked.
"Famished. And you?"
"I'm starving. I'll make breakfast then?" She asked.
"Certainly." Lucius replied looking relieved.
Hermione raised an eyebrow at his expression of relief. He merely imitated her questioning look clearly not willing to give her any answers.
Then it dawned on her. He must never have had any reason to learn how to cook. Being raised as a rich Malfoy meant he'd had house elves since he was a child and it had never been necessary to cook. He was relieved she had offered because he couldn't cook by himself.
Hermione bit her lip and chuckled. He lifted one perfectly shaped eyebrow and it took all Hermione's will not to burst out laughing as she watched a very visible blush spread across his cheekbones.
"What are you giggling about?" he asked a bit indignant.
"No, it's nothing." Hermione said but couldn't stop another giggle and looked at the ground to avoid his eyes.
"Hermione." He said in a warning tone. She looked up saw his annoyed expression.
"It's just, I find it very endearing that you can defeat powerful wizards but you don't know how to cook." She explained, her voice a bit ironic but still nonetheless apologetic.
An unreadable soft almost sad expression passed over his features. She looked away nervous now. She hoped she hadn't crossed a line without knowing it.
"Thank you for being honest." He replied surprising her once more. "Knowing that you can tell me the truth without fear of unjust repercussions is part of what calling me 'Sir' entails."
She blushed at the reminder of their less than conventional bedroom terminology, and nodded wordlessly.
"What would you like to eat?" she asked, changing the subject back to less tense territory.
After a lovely breakfast, of coffee, Greek yogurt and granola with blueberries for Lucius and toast with cream cheese and strawberries for Hermione, it was time for both to leave.
Hermione had to go to work, and Lucius had meetings throughout the day, concerning his many on-going developing investments.
The couple stood at the door, both reluctant to leave the other, so soon after finally coming together.
Both said nothing, for a long instant.
Hermione reached up to touch his cheek and he held her hand to his face, before kissing the top of it, and then kissed her mouth tenderly. There was no rush, no burning fire behind the kiss. It was patient and gentle and everything Hermione wanted and needed at that moment.
"I will see you on Monday afternoon then?" he asked confirming that their previous plans still stood.
"Yes of course."
"Well then Miss Granger. I'd say, we've had a very productive 'talk', wouldn't you?" he asked with a trade mark Malfoy smirk.
Hermione chuckled and nodded. "Yes, Sir." She replied cheekily. His gaze darkened briefly and kissed her once more, with more passion this time. She moaned against his mouth and pushed against his chest in a reluctant protest.
He pulled back, resting his forehead against, hers, his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her to him.
"You have to leave. So do I." Hermione murmured breathlessly.
"Do I? I've quite forgotten." He murmured, his voice roughened by longing. His mouth moved to leave a fire trail of kisses along her neck.
"Lucius, we can't, we don't have time—oh…" He stopped her protests with another searing kiss, his mouth slanting over hers, his tongue thoroughly ravishing her mouth, as his hands gripped her arse and pressing her against his body.
Just then, Ron walked into the living room and saw them kissing passionately.
"WHAT THE BLOODY BUGGERING HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" He bellowed, his face red and outrage clear in his eyes.
Immediately, the pair sprang apart.
"Ron! You said— this is isn't what it looks like, I'm not— we aren't—" Hermione struggled with what to say to her 'fiancé'.
"How could you? And with that slime ball of all people? Why Hermione?"
Hermione said nothing and simply looked away. For a moment, she felt truly ashamed of herself and Lucius. 'What have I done?'
"You weren't supposed to find out this way." She muttered, looking at the floor struggling not to cry.
"What could possibly have made this any less horrible? My friend and fiancé, a person that I trusted, is fucking a Death Eater!" Ronald snarled.
"Do you want me to leave?" Lucius asked, worried at this outcome. He had certainly not planned for this to happen.
"That would be best. I will owl you later. Ronald and I need to talk." She murmured not looking at Lucius, her gaze still fixed on the furious redhead in front of her.
In a brash move fueled by a sense of possessiveness, Lucius, kissed Hermione's temple, before heading to the door and with one last wistful glance at her, left the apartment.
Ronald made a disgusted grimace at the show of affection. His eyes shut as if trying to shut out the truth in front of him.
"I should have known…" he murmured, his voice strained, "I could never be good enough for you. The perfect, know-it-all, Hermione Granger falling for me? I must have really been one hell of a delusional git."
"Ron please… You have to know that I—"
"That you what? Didn't mean to hurt me? Love me?" he sat down heavily on the sofa and placed his head in his hands. She heard him chuckle, the sound was brittle and held nothing but bitterness. "We both know that's a lie. Really Hermione, you are many things but you've never been a good liar."
"Ron, I'm s—"
"Please don't. You aren't sorry. And if you are, you're a bigger fool than I ever was."
Hermione heard the clock strike and realised she was late for work.
Ron seemed to notice that as well and sighed. "You have to go to work. And so do I. There really isn't much to talk about, except how to tell my family and Harry. But I expect, you'll have some genius plan, to make them all see you aren't making a huge mistake."
"Ron. Please just listen. I love you, I do. But I have never been in love with you. Do you understand me?"
"You mean to say, that you love me as a friend and nothing more. I already knew that Hermione. I've known since we were children! But still like a fool I dared to hope that one day you might— but no longer." He lifted his head and she saw his tear streaked face, his wounded eyes and the tears she had been trying to hold back fell without her consent.
She hated that she was the cause of his pain.
Suddenly he stood up. "I'll be gone by the time you get back" she gasped at his statement. Everything was happening so fast. "Do what you want with the flat. You've made your choices, now it's my turn to make mine. Hermione, I officially renounce our engagement. You are no longer and never will be again, part of my family." And with that Ron went into their bedroom and slammed the door shut.
Hermione stood there, eyes wide in shock. Her head was spinning. Oh, god, what would the people around her say once Ron told them of the reason for their broken engagement.
She would surely be shunned as a whore and a cruel heartless woman, only after Lucius's money. How long until the tabloids got a hold of the news, and the plans for the wedding at Hogwarts, and the teachers and everyone she knew—oh god. Oh god. What had she done?
She'd hurt Ron so badly. How could she have been so selfish!?
Hermione realised that she was in no state of mind to be going to work today, so she sent in an owl saying she was sick and that she wouldn't be coming in.
She needed to see Lucius. To get this mess all sorted out in her head.
And to take the first steps to prevent her utter fall from any form of respectable society.
But first she needed to see Lucius and tell him all that happened.
Hermione cringed as she pictured Mrs. Weasley's reaction to the news.
Coming back to the moment, Hermione went to the chimney, grabbed a handful of floo powder and said, "Malfoy Manor." And disappeared into the flash of green flames.
~TBC~
(A/n: Hopefully I will be able to update this once again fairly soon. I'm sorry for the long wait! Please drop me a line if you you've got the time.)